A group of singers from Chittenden County and beyond has been rehearsing since mid-March for its sixth annual concert. What sets this particular chorus apart from other local ensembles? Twenty-six members of the Aphasia Choir are stroke and traumatic brain injury survivors with expressive aphasia, which manifests as difficulty speaking or using language. “Because music is largely mediated by the undamaged right hemispheres of the brains of individuals with aphasia, they can sing and are often fluent while singing,” explains choir founder and director Karen M. Leary by email. With spouses, caregivers, University of Vermont speech and language pathology students, and community members by their sides, the vocalists present a variety of popular songs.
